in regard to the ship subsidy bill or the 1-cent postage bill, we would like to be recorded as not voting. RIVERS AND HARBORS IMPROVEMENT. The PRESIDENT.-The next is the Committee on Rivers and Harbors Improvement. Mr. MAXWELL, of Chicago.-Mr. President, instead of embodying these resolutions in one set-a preamble and following resolutions-we have deemed it better to adhere as closely as might be to the original resolutions as offered, taking the matter up by steps. The first subject is that of sewage disposal in the rivers. of the country. The resolution we have to offer on that is as follows: WHEREAS, The widespread and indiscriminate discharge of crude sewage into our natural rivers and waterways is rapidly destroying one of the nation's greatest assets, "pure water"; and WHEREAS, There is now no reason why all cities and communities should not in time treat their sewage before it is discharged into rivers and waterways; therefore be it Resolved, That the National Board of Trade repeats its protest against the filling up of our rivers and harbors by sewage, and favors. the enactment of National legislation which shall place under control of the Government all interstate waterways for the purpose of preventing their pollution by the discharge of sewage into their waters, and further recommends the appointment of a National Commission composed of men familiar with the subject, whose duty it shall be to study the question from a National standpoint and thoroughly to digest existing laws, and to report such new laws or modifications of those now existing as will secure the co-operation of the United States Government with States, cities and communities, which are now in constant conflict with one another concerning this important question. I move the adoption of the resolution. The resolution was agreed to. Mr. MAXWELL.-The next is with regard to improved docking facilities: WHEREAS, The constantly increasing size of vessels engaged in transatlantic commerce demands more adequate dock facilities in some of our harbors; therefore be it Resolved, That the National Board of Trade strongly urges the Board of Army Engineers to give this subject most careful and immediate attention, and, where it may be at all possible and safe, to permit local authorities to extend pier head lines, making the piers of sufficient length to berth the largest steamers that may come to this country. I move the adoption of that resolution. The resolution was unanimously agreed to. Mr. MAXWELL.-The next is the very important question of flood prevention. Gentlemen, I want to say in passing, that I think the estimate of the annual loss in the United States by reason of floods is something in the neighborhood of $100,000,000, a large proportion of which is entirely preventable. WHEREAS, Danger and detriment to navigation and great destruction to life and property have been caused from time to time along the navigable streams of the whole country by reason of floods; and WHEREAS, It has been clearly demonstrated that it is entirely possible to protect property that would otherwise be damaged and destroyed by floods and also to aid navigation by the deepening of the streams, straightening of the channels, and the construction of storage reservoirs for the purpose of preventing destruction in flood times and supplying water for navigation during the dry seasons; therefore be it Resolved, That the National Board of Trade recommends that Congress take action towards providing means for the prevention of disastrous floods and the consequent damage and destruction caused thereby. I move the adoption of the resolution. The resolution was agreed to. Mr. MAXWELL.-The next resolution is with reference to the relief of traffic in bulky commodities from the Scranton Board of Trade. This resolution is very brief, because a portion of it is covered by another resolution. WHEREAS, The tendency to advance freight rates on commodities yielding comparatively low rates of freight, and the delayed delivery of such freight by rail as compared with the delivery by water, make it desirable that important inland waterways be developed expeditiously in relief of existing conditions; therefore be it Resolved, That Congress is urged to take prompt action looking to the relief of traffic in bulky commodities. I move the adoption of the resolution. The resolution was adopted. Mr. MAXWELL.-The next resolution is in regard to the importance of making an appropriation of not less than $50,000,000 annually for the improvement of rivers and harbors. WHEREAS, The National Board of Trade last year urged upon Congress the necessity for regular appropriations of not less than $50,000,000 per annum for the improvement of our rivers, harbors and inland waterways; and WHEREAS, The Chief of Engineers has recommended to the Congress now in session the appropriation for the next fiscal year of only $32,000,000 for such purposes; therefore be it Resolved, That the National Board of Trade again calls the urgent attention of Congress to the necessity of making a regular annual appropriation of not less than $50,000,000 for the improvement of rivers, harbors and inland waterways, such improvements to be made as have already been recommended by the President, not in a piecemeal and incoherent manner, but in such a manner as to make, when completed, a continuous system of waterways, adequate to the increased demands of water-borne commerce. I move the adoption of that resolution. The resolution was adopted. Mr. MAXWELL.-The next resolution is as follows: WHEREAS, The increase in our manufacturing, industrial and farming interests has grown to such proportions that the demand for improved waterways has become irresistible; and WHEREAS, The various municipalities situated along these waterways cannot properly avail themselves of the advantages of transportation by water without the ownership of proper terminal facilities for all vessels engaged in such commerce; therefore be it Resolved, That the National Board of Trade recognizes the imperative need of all municipalities, capable of using the improved waterways of the country, acquiring the immediate ownership of adequate terminal facilities, whether such ownership can be secured by pur chase, or shall have to be secured by condemnation proceedings, and of maintaining said terminal facilities open for the accommodation of all incoming and outgoing vessels. I move the adoption of the resolution. The resolution was adopted. Mr. MAXWELL.-The next is: WHEREAS, An amendment to the rivers and harbors bill has been introduced into Congress by Senator Newlands, of Nevada, recommending the appointment by the President of a Board or Boards with the object of bringing about the co-operation of the Engineer Corps of the Army with the other departments of Government looking to the development, control and regulation of the rivers and waterways of the United States, as well as the protection and conservation of certain natural resources; therefore be it Resolved, That the National Board of Trade heartily endorses the appointment of such a commission, and urges the passing by Congress of this amendment. I move the adoption of the resolution. The resolution was adopted. Mr. McKIBBEN, of Boston.-Mr. President, the Boston Chamber of Commerce has not acted upon any of those matters submitted. I move that we be given authority to state our position. in regard to the matters upon which we did not vote, so I shall not have to get up each time and state that I am not authorized to act. The PRESIDENT.-That will be satisfactory, and your remarks will be entered in the record, so that you will be perfectly understood. TARIFF AND RECIPROCITY. The PRESIDENT.-The next is the Committee on Tariff and Reciprocity. Is the report ready? Mr. MULLEN, of Wilmington.—Mr. President and gentlemen, the committee to which were submitted Propositions XL to XLVII have very carefully considered them, and while many of them contain some new matter, much of it had been referred to this convention in 1908, 1909 and 1910, and the convention during those sessions thoroughly considered them. While the wording was not in the same form as the propositions presented before us, at the same time we thought it best to dispense with the usual formula of presenting the questions where you were more or less fully acquainted and fully informed about them. The questions as submitted to us are not, as I said, entirely new to this Board, and after very careful consideration, we have thought it best to condense them, and we offer the following resolutions for your consideration: Resolved, That the National Board of Trade, in view of the excellent work already done by the present Tariff Board, recommends that the Board be made permanent, and that it be so constituted that it will be non-partisan in its character. Resolved, That we approve of considering individual schedules when making changes and of not considering all the items on the tariff list at one time. Resolved, That the National Board of Trade is in favor of a treaty of reciprocity with Canada and an exchange of products on basis of equality of tariff rates. WM. D. MULLEN, I move the adoption of these resolutions. Mr. PERSONENI, of New York.-Mr. President, I have an amendment to offer, to this effect: That the National Board of Trade recommend to Congress the substitution of the maximum clause of the present Payne Act, with proper reciprocity legislation with all countries at large that will offer special advantages to American products. The PRESIDENT.-Gentlemen, the vote will be taken on the amendment. Are you ready for the vote? Mr. HITCHCOCK, of Scranton.-I would like to hear what is intended by that. |